Water-heater



(No Model.)

B. N. GATES.

. WATER HEATER.

N0. 404 784. Patented June 4, 1889.

N. PETERS, Phnw'Lilhflgnpher. Washi nnnnnn C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

EUGENE N. GATES, OF FITCHBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATER-H EATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,784, dated June 4, 1889.

Application filed March 18, L889. Serial No. 303,637. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE N. GATES, of Fitchburg, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vater- Heaters, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to apparatus .for heating buildings by the circulation of hot water, and particularly to that class of hot- Water heating apparatus in which the water while being heated is contained in sectional receptacles which are arranged to present large areas of surface to the heat from a firepot, said sections being arranged at different distances from that portion of the fire-pot that contains the burning fuel, one of said sections at least, which for convenience I call the fire-pot section, constituting the wall of said portion and being in contact with the fuel, while the other sections are located at successively higher points and are not in contact with the fuel. In this class of apparatus it has been usual heretofore to return the cooled water from the radiators of the system directly to the fire-pot section, the water passing upwardly from said section through the other sections and leaving the highest section through the pipes that conduct it to the radiators. Under such arrangements the coolest water is presented to the surfaces which are nearest the fuel, and the consequence is that unless the fire-pot section is lined with fire-brick or some other like material the combustion of the fuel along the surfaces of the fire-pot section is checked and deadened by the cooling action of the water on said surfaces. On the other hand, if the fire-pot sect-ion is lined to prevent this checking of the combustion, the water in said section loses the benefit of a considerable portion of the heat, which at this point is at the maximum degree.

My invention has for its object to reverse the usual course of the water through the sections of the heater and cause the return water to first enter the upper section and to enter the other sections successively before entering the fire-pot section, so that when it enters the fire-pot section it will have become heated to such an extent that it will above the fire-pot section.

not check or dcaden the combustion of the coal in contact with said section.

To this end my invention consists in the improved arrangement which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a heating apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 00 x of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a top view of one of the sections Fig. 5 represents a perspective View, partly sectional, of the section shown in Fig. 4.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, It represents the fire-pot section, and b b b I) represent the superposed sections above the fire-pot section. The sections 1) may be of any desired number and of any suitable form, it being desirable that they present as large an area as is practicable to the heat from the fire-pot, and that their surfaces constitute a sinuous or indirect passage for the heat and products of combustion from the fire-pot to the funnel or escape-flue c. I have here shown each section as composed of a hollow wall or waterleg 2 and a horizontal chamber 3, communicating with the water-leg and extending from the water-leg at one side partly across the section, said chamber 3 being separated from the water-leg at the other side of the section by an opening 4. The chamber 3 is less in width than the depth of the Water-leg 2, so that when the sections are assembled, with the opening 4: of one section alternating with the chamber 3 of the next section, as shown in Fig. 2, a zigzag or sinuous flue is formed by the surfaces of the chambers and waterlegs of the several sections.

The upper and lower surfaces of the chamber 3 are dished-that is to say, the upper surfaces are lowest at the center and the lower surfaces highest at the center, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. This form increases the area of surface exposed to the heat. If desired, only the under surfaces of the chambers 3 may be dished, the upper surfaces being flat. This construction is a good and practical one; but I do not limit myself thereto, and may make the sections 1) in any other form which will permit the circulation hereinafter described and afford a suitable flue or flues for the heat and other products of combustion.

The fire-pot section a is here shown as simply avertical hollow wall surrounding the fire-pot; but it may have any other suitable form. The water-spaces of the sections are not directly connected with each other, the only connection between said spaces being through a stand-pipe (Z outside of the heater, said stand-pipe being connected by branches c with the sections 1), or, as here shown,with all but the lower section Z), the latter being shown as connected by a similar branch 6 with a stand-pipe f at the opposite side of theheater. Said lower section may, however, be connected with the stand-pipe d, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, instead of to the stand-pipe f. I prefer, however, the arrangement shown in full lines in Fig. 2, for reasons which will herein after appear.

The branches 6 are vertically elongated, so that they extend nearly to the bottom and top of the water-space of each section b, and there fore permit direct horizontal passage of water from the stand-pipe to the lower portion of each section and from the upper portion of each section to the stand-pipe, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

g g g 9 represent the return-pipes which conduct the water from the radiators to the heater. Said pipes, instead of entering the fire-pot section, as heretofore, enter the upper section b and pass from thence to the stand, pipe (Z and downwardly in the latter 011 its way to the fire-pot section. The water in each section Z) is caused to circulate therein by the heat to which the sections are subjected, and the circulation thus caused creates a current from the stand-pipe ('5 into the lower part of each section Z) connected therewith, and from the upper part of each section back to the stand-pipe, the volume of said current or the quantity of water thus diverted from and re turned to the stand-pipe increasing with an increase of the heat supplied by the fire and decreasing with a decrease of heat. Each current flowing back to the stand-pipe passes downwardly, the water finally entering the fire pot section. The water is, therefore, gradually heated on its way to the fire-pot section, sothat it enters the latter at a comparatively high temperature through a branch 1', connecting the stand-pipe I) with the lower portion of the fire-pot section. The upper portion of the fire-pot section is connected with the standpipe f by a branch j, and the water, after circulating through the fire-pot section, passes into the stand-pipe f, with which are connected the pipes m, which conduct the heated water to the radiators.

It will be seen that the water is subjected in the fire-pot section toa higher temperatu re than it encounters at any other part of the apparatus. This fact being borne in mind, together with the fact that the return or inflow stand-pipe (Z is connected with the lower portion of the fire-pot section, while the out flow stand-pipe f is connected with the upper portion of said section,it will be seen that the increase of the temperature of the water after it enters the fire-pot section will cause it to iflow upwardly to and through the outflow stand-pipe f, and will induce the above-described downward flow through the return stand-pipe (1, said facts accounting for the described downward flow of the return water while it is being heated. I prefer to augment the flow oi the returning and the outgoing water by additionally heating the water after it leaves the fire-pot section. To this end the outflow stand-pipe is connected with the section Z) adjoining the fire-pot section by an elongated branch 6, which permits a flow of water from the stand-pipe finto the lower portion of said section and from the upper portion of the latter back to the stand-pipe f. The circulation of the outflowing water in the lower section I), the rapidity of which depends on the heat, increases the temperature of the outflowing water and gives additional force to the outflowing current, there by increasing the pulling force exerted by said current on the downwardly-moving inflowing water.

I believe the described circulation of water may be produced with a measure of success without the aid of the lower fire-pot section b, and the apparatus would be operative if said section were connected to the return standpipe and not to the outflow stand-pipe; but for the reasons already stated I recommend the connection of the lower section Z) to the outflow stand-pipe f and not to the return stand-pipe (I.

It is obvious that instead of the elongated branches c connecting the stand pipe or pipes with the sections 1) two branches may be employed to connect each section with its standpipe, one branch connecting the lowerand the other the upper portion of the section with the standpipe, it being important to connect both the lower and upper portions of each section Z) with its stand-pipe in order that the water heated in each section may pass to the stand-pipe from the upper portion of the section, and that water may pass from the stand-pipe to the lower portion of the section. It will also be apparent thatif the outflowing water is not to be admitted to the section I) adjoining the fire-pot section the stand-pipe f may be dispensed with, the outflow-pipes m being connected directly to the upper portion of the fire-pot section.

It will be seen that by heating the water, as described,bcfore it reaches the fire-pot sec tion the deadening action produced by com paratively cool. water on the fire is not experienced and the necessity of lining the firepot section is obviated, so that the water in the fire-pot section receives the maximum in ITO crease of heat from the burning fuel in contact with the inner surfaces of said section.

It is obvious that more than one of the sections may be connected with the outflow-pipe, if desired, the force of the current through said pipe increasing with the number of sections connected therewith.

I claim 1. In a hot-water heating apparatus, the combination of a fire-pot section having an outlet for hot water at its upper port-ion, a series of superposed sections arranged to be heated by the fire within the fire-pot section, and a return or inflow stand-pipe connected, as described, with the upper and lower portions of said superposed sections and with the lower portion of the fire-pot section, as set forth.

2. In a hotwater heating apparatus, the combination of a fire-pot section, a series of superposed sections arranged to be heated by the fire within the fire-potscction, a return or inflow stand pipe connected, as described, with the upper and lower portions of said superposed sections and with the lower portion of the fire-pot section, and an outflow pipe or pipes connected with the upper portion of the fire-pot section, as set forth.

In a hot water heating apparatus, the combination of a fire-pot section, a series of superposed sections arranged to be heated by the fire within the fire-pot section, an outflowpipe connected with the upper portion of the 'fire-pot section and wit-h the upper and lower portions of one or more of said superposed sections, and a return or inflow pipe connected with the upper and lower portions of the other superposed sections and with the lower portion of the fire-pot section, as set forth.

by the return water, the outflow of which is induced by thenpward flow of heated water from the fire-pot section, is conducted from the upper superposed section successively through the other sections of said series and .into the lower portion of the fire-pot section,

as set forth.

5. In a hot-water heating apparatus, the

combination of the fire-pot section a, the superposed sections 1), relatively arranged, as described, and each composed of a hollow wall or Water-leg, and a horizontal chamber located within the water-leg and above its lower portion, said chamber being separated from the water-leg at one side by an opening 4, the stand-pipe (Z, connected, as described, with the upper and lower portions of the sections 1) and with the lower portion of the fire-pot section, and an outflow pipe or pipes communicating with the upper portion of the fire-pot section, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 9th day of March, A. D. 1889.

EUGENE'N. e'A'rEs.

Witnesses:

HARRISON BAILEY, 'l. K. WARE. 

